Kamala Harris could get the senior vote

On By Rgal Nv

Kamala Harris could get the senior vote

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 1, 2024

A recent poll shows Kamala Harris leading Donald Trump among seniors.

A recent poll shows Vice President Kamala Harris leading Donald Trump among U.S. voters aged 65 and older.

According to a CNN/SSRS poll released this week, Harris leads the former president 50% to 46% among seniors. That could be crucial as the November election approaches, with polls indicating Harris holds a slight national lead over Trump.

Although Harris appears to face challenges related to the demographic groups that President Joe Biden resonated with in the 2020 election, her advantage among seniors marks the first time a Democratic candidate has held that lead since the The 2000 presidential election. Current polls show Harris leading Trump by an average of 3 points among senior voters.

This marks a significant shift in the Democratic Party’s appeal among senior voters, especially since earlier this year, as well as in post-2020 election analysis, Trump held a 4-point lead over Biden among those aged 65 and over. Polls show a steady increase in senior support for the Democratic Party. Biden significantly outperformed Barack Obama among older voters in 2020, despite similar national results among the general electorate.

Harris’ potential gains among seniors come at a crucial time, as she faces challenges — rare for a Democrat — among younger voters in national polls. The vice president’s tilt toward younger voters could work in her favor, given the higher number of older people than adults under 30 in the United States.

Older Americans have outsized influence in elections because they are more likely to be registered and actually vote on Election Day. According to a recent New York Times/Siena College poll, seniors make up about 29 percent of the electorate, while voters under 30 make up only about 13 percent.

The close poll numbers between Harris and Trump underscore the importance of each vote. Both candidates are actively working to convince everyone eligible to vote in the upcoming November election.

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